The Little Spark
by BloomingRue
Summary: Primrose Everdeen has won the 74th annual Hunger Games, but when the Quarter Quell holds a twist, she knows it won't happen again BAD SUMMARY, STORY IS PROBABLY BETTER, Sequel to "The Little Girl On Fire", rated T for Hunger Games violence
1. Chapter 1: Nightmares And Hunting

**Part I: "The Spark"**

"Prim, you gotta stop scaring away the game."

Wow. That's the tenth time Katniss has hissed that at me, I can tell she misses Gale. I sigh and mumble in a whisper, "Sorry, Katniss. Thanks again for brining me." For the first time in a _long_ time Katniss decided to bring me hunting with her. After the Games, it's not the killing that bothers me anymore, it's the fact that my body refuses to stop causing me to make noise.

She wants Gale to be hunting with her, but because he's working in mines, but to neither of their content, she brought me with her, because Mrs. Hawthorne asked her to bring Rory. Rory has been wanting to learn how to hunt for a very long time, and I guess Katniss decided it would be less odd if I came with them, being so close to Rory and all.

After the Games, me and Rory have been closer than ever, my best friend, and possibly something more if I wanted, but until the Victory Tour is over, and I'm sure that Snow _isn__'__t_ out to kill me, I'm trying not to get too close to him.

"Prim!" Katniss hisses when I step on a branch and the squirrels near her on the ground take off in another direction.

The reason I'm so uneasy is because everyone from the Capitol is coming today. That's the reason I can't just stand still, hold my poor excuse for a bow, and pretend that I'm having the time of my life. Rory's doing a lot better than me, he takes after Gale, his snares are amazing. Speaking of Rory, he lets out a close to silent chuckle that I barely catch, but when I do, I spin around and jokingly point my arrow at him.

"Easy, Miss Victor." he says, placing a hand on my bow and lowering it. I roll my eyes at him, but before I can say anything, Katniss hushes us, and peers into the weak morning light before us. The woods are nicer than I remember, very pretty at dawn. Suddenly, and arrow shoots out of Katniss' bow and sails a good few feet in front of our small group. We hear a sickening crack when the arrow hits its mark. "Good job, Katniss." Rory says admiringly.

I decide to turn on whatever predator instincts I have left from the Games. I'd like to hit at least one thing with my arrows. It's a mystery to me how I managed to kill Thresh with one of them. No. The thought of Thresh brings the Games back to my mind; I do my best to push it out again. Nightmares had claimed me since the Games ended, and I spent almost every night in my mother's bed.

"We can't stay to much longer though, Rory, you'll have to get back to Hazelle soon." Katniss tells us. "Besides, Prim's got important Victor duties to tend to."

Rory sighs in defeat. Ever since the Games, we've been closer, but then again, something about him has changed...or maybe it's me. I grew up so much in that arena, when I came home, pretending to be a scared little girl and still trying to keep that cover now, things changed. As much as I try to look intimidated by the world, everyone knows I'm a killer, and I'm starting to get as hostile as my sister. Regardless of anything, or who has changed, I'm assuming he wants to spend more time in the woods, or with me...he still confuses me.

"Another hour?" I ask hopefully, because no one is coming to our new house until a couple hours from now.

Katniss sighs and thinks for a minute, than tells us, "Sure, one more hour."

"Yes." Rory and me whisper in happy usion.

"But-" she says. Oh, she's not done yet. "-if you two scare off any more game, we're going home."

Rory groans, but I simply take it, because I know she's really talking to me. I decide to be silent to the best of my ability, the longer I stay here, the less anxiety I'll have about the Victory Tour.

The hour ticks by quickly, Katniss manages to shoot two more squirrels after collecting the first one, and Rory gets a bird, much to my envy. After that, we check our snares, Katniss' are doing pretty well, a good haul, Rory's are doing only slightly less good because it's his first time, and I only caught one rabbit. It's an embarrassment compared to what they caught, and I suddenly know I'm not cut out to be a hunter. I'm a healer, simple as that.

"Alright," Katniss says when the hour passes. "Rory, let's go to the Hob real quick, trade in some Game, get some food, money..." she trails off, knowing she doesn't actually need it. "Then you can go home and show Hazelle all your things, okay?"

Rory nods with a smile on his face. "Great," he says happily. "Prim, can I have your rabbit?" he asks, and without waiting for a response, he slits its throat and slides it in his new game bag that Mrs. Hawthorne made him. Classy.

After a fairly productive time at the Hob, we drop Rory off, he shows off all his game and money, Mrs. Hawthorne thanks us, and we go.

"Sorry about scaring away all the game." I mumble, kicking a rock as we walk and watching it fly out of my sights.

"It's okay, we caught enough." Katniss says, kissing me on top of my head. I smile, the kind of smile only Katniss can make come. "Now come on, your precious Capitol friends will be here soon." she says, quickening her pace.

"Hey, you'd like 'em if you go to know 'em." I insist as I catch up with her. "Or at least Cinna." I mumble as an after thought.

Katniss catches it. "You mean that Capitol stylist?" she asks, then shakes her head. "Honestly, Prim, do you really think I'd like anything or any_one_ that came out of-" she shudders, "-the Capitol."

I sigh. "You'd like Cinna." We walk home, and nothing more is said. When we come in, mother halts us. I get it, she worked day and night to make the house perfect. "Sorry mom," I say. "We'll take them off here." I look to Katniss for confirmation, she simply nods.

Mother laughs some kind of odd laugh and takes Katniss' game bag. "It's just snow." she says warmly...a little too warmly. "Did you and your sister have a nice walk?"

"Walk?" I ask. We've been in the woods for a long while. She knows that. Me and Katniss then both catch sight of the freakishly perfect man in the doorway. Without a doubt, he's from the Capitol.

Katniss, always thinking on her feet, and recognizing danger says, "It was more like skating, it's getting really slippery out there."

Seeing the man from the Capitol puts me on edge about my "role" that Haymitch has given me, and looking as innocent as I can, I start shaking.

"Oh, Prim, come here." Mother says with a gentle smile, and she wraps a blanket around my cold body.

"Thanks." I say, smiling back at her.

"Someone's here to see you." she tells me, she's a pale white color, and her voice cracks.

Something clicks in the back of my head. "Oh, can it wait a minute?" I ask her. "I promised Haymitch I'd wake him up before anyone came." I tell her, but really, I just want to get out now, I can tell something's wrong.

"This way, please, Miss Everdeen," the man in the doorway says, gesturing down the hall. I give my mother a questioning glance as one of my eyebrows goes up.

"How long will this take? Haymitch insisted that I-"

Katniss takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. Oh, I get it. I should stop talking.

I silently remove my boots, and walk down the hall, silently opening the door, and coming face to face with my worst nightmare. I find the strength to barely call back over my shoulder, "Katniss, could you wake Haymitch up for me?" Then I walk in.

**Hey, look what I did! A sequel! Yeah...you guys asked for it. Yes, I know, it has a lame title, if you have a better idea, please PM me it or put it in a review...please. Anyway, because of some stuff you guys said, and personal things to me, Katniss is probably gonna have a _much_ bigger role in this one, I'm just not sure how yet... Anyway, hope you liked Chapter 1, care to review? It'll make me smile... :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Cookies

I gulp and mumble a greeting to him, he simply holds up a hand to signify for me to wait until he's done with his book. I silently close the door and stand there, waiting for him to finish, but before barely catching Katniss' panicked whisper of my name. She must be terrified for me.

So he came. He's ready to kill me. I wonder how he'll do it. The room smells like roses and blood...it's not pleasant. I unconsciously hold a hand up to my nose, but when I realize I did, I swat it away with my other hand.

He quietly lowers his book and looks me dead in the eye before saying simply, "I think we'll make this whole situation a lot simpler by agreeing not lie to each other. What do you think?"

I don't stop myself from glaring at him. "You're here to kill me. That's what I think." I hiss at him, gritting my teeth. I figure in my head, as long as I'm going to die, I'll die by the promise I made in the arena; I'll die fighting. "And I don't plan on lying about it." I'm being stupid, I know, but my mind is thinking differently than how it normally does, so I invite myself to sit across from him, and stare him dead in the eye, those cold, deadly snake eyes...

He smiles, his tight lips barely coming out of their normal line. "My advisors were concerned you would be difficult, I'm starting to think they were right, but do you don't really plan on being rude to your president..." there's a pause. "Do you?"

I grit my teeth, but instead of thinking of myself, my mind wanders to Katniss, and mother, and Rory, and Gale, and little Posy, and Mrs. Hawthorne, and everyone else who I care about. All these things drive me to barely mumble, "I wouldn't dream of it, President Snow."

"That's what I told them." he says, matter-of-factly. "Any little girl who goes _that_ far to keep herself alive...she wouldn't just throw away her life with both hands. And then there's her family to think of. Your mother, sister...and let's not forget about little Rory and his family, too."

So then, he knows about Rory. I mentally smack myself in the head. Of course he does. I kissed Rory on live television for all to see. They probably started researching him the second our lips touched, if not before that.

"I have a problem, Miss Everdeen," he says, absentmindedly, and yet with a serious tone. "A problem that began the moment who pulled out those poisonous berries in the arena."

I try to muster up the slightest shred of strength to answer him, I'm thirteen now, you would think I could answer him without bursting into tears. I'm not so confident in that, so I remain silent.

"If the Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, he would have blown you to dust right then." Snow goes on to tell me, apparently not noticing how pale I'm getting, then again, I think he's smirking. "But he unfortunately had a sentimental streak. So here you are." he leans in just a little closer. "Can you guess where he is?"

"I've got a pretty good idea." I grumble, the fire I had just minutes before returning, and color flooding back into my body. I try to ignore the wavering stench of roses and blood, but I start to wonder if that's one of the settings one the fancy Capitol showers...I never saw it.

"After that, there was nothing to do but let you play out your little scenario." he continues. "And you were pretty good, too, with the whole...innocent child bit. The people in the Capitol were quite convinced." he says. "Unfortunately, not everyone in the Districts fell for your act."

My color is draining again. He addresses it.

"This, of course, you don't know. You have no access to information about the mood in other Districts. In several of them, however, they saw your little trick with the berries as nothing but an act of defiance." he tells me. "And if a little girl from-" he almost stifles a laugh, "-District 12, of all places, can defy the Capitol and walk away unharmed, what is to stop them from doing the same? What is to prevent, say, an uprising?"

My breath hitches. "They're have been uprisings?" I ask without trying to stop myself.

"Not yet, but if things don't change for the better, they'll come quickly." he tells me. "And, as we both know, uprisings have been known to lead to revolutions. And how awful would that be? How many people could die? The Capitol has a strong grip on the Districts for a reason, Primrose," he says, addressing me by my first name for probably the first time. "The whole system would collapse."

"It must be very fragile," I mutter. "If two little berries could bring it down."

He bites his lip and then says, "It is fragile, but not in the way you think."

A long pause, but then there's a knock at the door and the man from the Capitol pokes his head in. "Her sister wants to know if you want tea."

Tea? Katniss? Katniss does _not_ serve tea. Not to the President that brings aching pain to her soul every single day. Not to anyone. She must _really_ want to get in here.

"I would, I would like tea." Snow says calmly, a smile on his face. Obviously he's eager to meet Katniss. There's something in the back of my head that tells me he knows exactly who she is...and what she does. The door opens wider and in walks Katniss holding a tray and some lovely china tea set that mother brought to the Seam, when she married father..._father_. I grit my teeth, tears stinging my eyes. I don't like to think about him. Too much pain.

Katniss sets the tray down where Snow gestures, right in between us. She gives me a questioning glance. "It's uh...nice to meet you, President Snow." she manages to say, I can tell it hurts her to try and muster up any respect she might have for him.

The Capitol man closes the door again.

"Is it?" Snow asks with a light chuckle. "The things you say in the woods seem to prove otherwise."

Katniss grows a shade whiter, then she composes herself. "They do, don't they?" she asks, then says, "Can I get you anything else?"

"No," Snow smirks, examining her. "This could not be more perfect." he says, I can tell things are calculating in that sick, twisted mind of his. Katniss must be trying to piece together what's going on, but she could never guess what the President and me are actually talking about. "Thank you." he says, clearly dismissing Katniss. She shoots him and glare, gives me a nod, and then silently walks out.

After a long pause, and a few sips of tea, I mumble, "I didn't mean to start any uprisings."

Snow puts down a cookie and I examine it. Beautifully frosted, the soft kind, the patterns capturing my interest. Without a doubt, Peeta Mellark made them. He's dead, so they must be a little old, but they still look good, nonetheless. "I believe you, it doesn't matter. Your stylist, Cinna, was it? Well, he turned out to be prophetic in his wardrobe choice. Primrose Everdeen, the little girl who was on fire. You have provided a spark that, left unattended, may grow into an inferno that destroys Panem."

I calculate everything in my head, the sick man is right. As much as I hate how life is going now, if things go on like this, there could end up being no human life left at all. "Just tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it."

"If only it were that simple." he sighs, and picks up another cookie. "Lovely. Your mother made these."

"P-Peeta." I stammer, and cast my gaze downward, not daring to look him in the eye as we talk about the boy who died from the berries. The baker's son. One of the many people I admired and looked up to.

"Oh yes, the Mutt food."

I snap my head upward and look him dead in the eye. "What do you want?" I ask, almost a little too loudly. He's made me snap, I can tell he got the exact reaction he wanted. I grit my teeth and timidly look downward again, realizing that I may have just food my own life on the line, as well as everyone I care about.

"Oh, go on, Miss Everdeen. Why don't we talk about Rory?" he asks, and I stiffen. "Him, I can easily kill. You...not so."

"Please, don't hurt Rory." I manage to choke out. Rory's been my friend for as long as I can remember, now my best friend, and possibly something more, I don't plan to lose him anytime soon.

"That's good," he says, examining me, his eyes running up and down my face where I can tell that tears must be streaming down my cheeks. "Very innocent and scared...believable almost." he says. "You could convince many people with that." he tells me. "But you'll have to aim higher."

"How can I aim higher than that?" I ask. "Convincing them is enough."

"No." Snow says, his smirk growing into a full, sickeningly evil smile. "Convince _me_. But I have one more idea that's sure to help get anyone on your side." he says, retrieving his book and taking another cookie. He heads for the door.

"And what's that?" I ask, my voice close to cracking.

"Rory's coming on the Victory Tour with you." that's all he says before leaving, the door clicking shut behind him.

I flinch. That's what I was afraid of. That's just what I was hoping to avoid. I know exactly what he wants. He wants me and Rory to be the key things that keep his Capitol from crumbling. And there's nothing I can do to stop it.


	3. Chapter 3: Rory

"Prim, is everything alright?" mother asks rolling into the room.

I grit my teeth, and manage to pull out a response. "Yes everything's fine, still could though." I mumble, grabbing the blanket she had given me earlier and wrapping it around myself. "We never see it on television, but the President always comes to wish the Victors luck." I say.

"Oh." mother says, her face flooding with relief, because Katniss must have looked scared or shocked when she came out, my mother is one to jump to conclusions anyway. "I'll start you a bath." she says, and vanishes to do it.

I wait a few minutes, trying to let everything Snow has said sink in, when it dawned on me that the blood smell had come from his breath. What did he do, drink it? I shuddered at the thought as I trembled up the stairs to the bathroom, where a nice, warm tub awaits. My mother used a small bag of dried flowers to make the air smell more elegant, and the water feels silky when I take off my clothes and slide into it. I think about what I do next.

First things first, Rory, coming on Victory Tour with me. He's not a Victor. He could be arrested or even killed for coming with me. But if he has the President's approval, or even wish, that he go...I guess it would be okay. The problem though, in reality, is that Snow wants me to cling to Rory, to feel the way Peeta or Gale do, or I guess did, in Peeta's case, about Katniss. I could pull that off easily, in my sleep, even, the problem is, we've been friends forever. I don't want to scare him. I could tell him everything, but apparently Snow's watching me, so telling him could mean instant death, for everyone.

Next after that, Katniss, the President has been watching her _personally_. He knows of her and Gale's dealings in the woods and the Hob. It scares me even more than the blood. How long has he been watching them? As soon as I got to the final eight when people started to care about me, or has there just always been cameras at the fence? I don't know, I'm so lost in my head I can barely piece together any parts of the story.

I decide I _have_ to tell someone about what just happened. Katniss? She'd personally try to send an arrow through Snow's skull. Mother? She might have a heart attack. Rory? He'll act weird on the Victory Tour if I say one word. Gale? He's always been like a big brother to me...but he's even more hotheaded than Katniss. That leaves one person who I'm willing to say anything to. I groan, but haul myself out of the tub after scrubbing my hair to make it clean.

When I step out, I dry off and find that mother's left some clean clothes for me, a long green tunic and a pair of simple black pants, nice. I put them on and step out of the bathroom, only to be ambushed by a confused and panicked Katniss, who almost has to drag me into her room.

"What's going on, Prim?" she asks me at a quick pace. "Why did the President come here? And don't lie."

I groan. I planned to tell Haymitch, not an overly scared-for-me Katniss. "He just wanted to wish me luck on the Victory Tour, and to tell me I can bring one friend," I lie. "So Rory's coming."

"Why Rory?" she asks, arching an eyebrow. "Why not, Vick, or Madge Undersee's little sister...what was her name? Calla? Or was it-?"

"Katniss." I cut her off. "I picked Rory because he's my best friend." I say. That shuts her up.

Katniss bites her lip she's said something rude and unforgivable. "Have fun, then," she mumbles. "Good luck in 5 and 11." she opens her door and lets me walk out.

I slide my boots back on at the front door, put on my jacket, tell my mother I'm going to see Haymitch, and then vanish out the door. I walk over to his house, thinking about Katniss' words. Obviously by telling me good luck in Districts 5 and 11, she meant; don't cry when you talk about Fay and Rue. I'll try.

"Haymitch!" I call, slamming my fist into his door a few times. No reply. I invite myself in. I collapse on the floor in laughter, weakly asking, "What happened to you?" in between my giggles.

Haymitch is soaking wet, trying to dry himself off, but soaked, nonetheless, so is his couch, and some areas of the floor. He has a towel in his hand and he keeps hitting himself with it, obviously not knowing the correct way to dry himself. "Your sister, that's what." he grumbles angrily.

More laughter, but I remember why I'm really here and climb to my feet, trying not to smile.

"So what do you want, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks, swatting himself with the towel again.

"I just need to talk to you." I say, sitting down in a chair, Haymitch sits on his soaked couch. I tell him everything Snow has told me, what happened with me and Katniss, and I'm worried is going to happen to everyone.

Haymitch scratches his head when I'm done, thinking. "Wow, you just _had_ to grab the berries, didn't you?" he jokes, no one laughs. "Okay, okay, just fall in love with Rory, be cute and innocent, and stay alive. How hard can that be?"

"It just is Haymitch." I mutter, heading for the door, I had seeked help from him, someone to confide it, not someone to mock me. Obviously I made a mistake picking a drunk. I walk back out into the cold day, slumping my shoulders and walking back home. When I step inside, remove my boots and jacket, and turn around, I'm greeted by the three people most in the world I didn't want to see right now, plus Katniss.

"Primmie!" Venia says in a dramatic tone. "Your eyebrows!" she says, and Octavia comes up behind her to comfortingly pat her back. I look at Katniss, she's doing the best she can to stifle her laughter.

"Primmie?" she asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

I sigh. "Don't ask."

"It's okay, Venia, you can fix those in no time." Octavia says. "But these-" she grabs my hand, examining my nails. "Oh, Primmie, you could have left me _something_ to work with!"

It's true, after waking up from nightmares every night since I've come out of the arena, my nails are now nothing but stubs. "Sorry." I manage to say.

"Oh, your hair," Flavius says, plucking little snow flakes out of it that managed to lightly fall from the sky. Hopefully more will come, I love the snow, the ground's not cold enough for it to stick yet, though. "No one cut it, did they?"

I shake my head. "No one."

"Oh, thank goodness!" he declares, then they all take me up to my room, sit me down in a chair, and get to work. Katniss comes along too, thinking I might like someone to talk to, plus I think she'd like to get to know more about my prep team.

"So, uh, who are you?" Katniss asks after they stop buzzing about the Quarter Quell.

"Oh!" Octavia says, dropping my hand lightly, almost done painting it. "We're Primmie's prep team, of course, I'm Octavia," she introduces herself. "And this is Flavius and Venia."

"Where's Cinna?" Katniss asks, obviously remembering what I had said on the walk home. "The stylist, right?"

"Cinna is putting the finishing touches on Primmie's outfit." Venia tells her. "He's actually downstairs right now, if you'd like to meet him Katniss, feel free to-"

Katniss is already gone, obviously curious as to what's so great about Cinna. But she'll probably never feel the same way about Cinna as I do, Cinna made me look, feel, and sound amazing. He helped me in everyway, and gave me courage when I was a stiff, scared child. He's one of my best friends, and all Katniss will probably ever see him as is a Capitol-trained dog.

When my prep team is done, I quickly run out of the room, eager to see Cinna. He looks the same as always, simple brown hair, gold eyeliner. We embrace quickly, it's to see him in person, we've been talking on the phone for a while now, but it's better to actually see him in person. On the phone, we've mostly just been discussing my talent. Encouraging some, ruling out other, but eventually deciding on the one thing I was good at.

"So, let me see your latest sketch."

Art. Turns out I'm a pretty good artist, drawing, painting, sculpting, you name it, I can do it. I mostly stick to drawing though, because I don't have an amazing eye for colors.

"Oh, one second," I say, running into the kitchen, where I left my little notebook he sent me to work in. "Here." I hand it to him.

He looks at it for a while, examining the details, mother, Katniss and the prep team seem confused by this. "Amazing, who is this?" he asks, handing it back to me, obviously, he never paid the girl on the paper any mind.

"Rue." I mumble, setting the notebook down. "When she was in the flowers." I tell him, and he weakly nods, suddenly remembering her. In the process of discovering that I was an artist, I tried cooking, flower arranging, flute playing, and lots of other things...but apparently none of them could hold light to my art. "Got my clothes?" I ask him, because the prep team had already taken everything off of me and given me a simple robe to lounge in.

"Sure," he says, tossing me a bundle of clothes. "Go get dressed."

Flowing, thick, and warm black pants, a comfortable white shirt, a pair of laced leather boots, and a nice sweater that's even softer than Buttercup, who I haven't seen all day. He's probably taking a nap.

"Prim!"

Oh. I know that voice. I cringe.

Effie Trinket seems to have appeared out of nowhere, but she does, hugging me and kissing me on both cheeks. "Okay people, we're on a schedule," she says, returning to being 100% Effie. "Primrose," she says, being formal. "We'll set up a few canvases and some paint for you, in the mean time, go get dressed."

I nod and dash out of the room, putting the clothes on, and quickly coming back. Effie examines some of my drawings, like the Rue picture, another one of Peeta's torn of body just before I gave the nightlock, Fay, playing with a fox, Rue with wings, and other things that poked into my head about some of the Tributes.

"Oh, no," Effie groans. "These simply won't do, President Snow won't approve of such rebellious art." she says, handing me the notebook. "Paint something more ordinary, please,"

I sigh, and think. The idea comes to me quickly, and I get to work as quick as possible, the camera crew watching me like hawks as my paintbrush moves faster than possible. The picture quickly comes together, the colors blending nicely and brining out the features on the girl's face. When I'm done, she looks stunning, and I smile when Katniss' hand sets itself on my shoulder.

"You made me too pretty." she mumbles.

I shake my head. "No, I made you perfect." The picture is of Katniss wearing her hunting clothes, poised in a tree, aiming her bow, ready to bring fresh game home. This particular picture would take place before I became the Victor...before she didn't _need_ to hunt. Now, hunting was just a hobby for her, and sort of a class, when she brought me and Rory along.

After they admire the painting for a little bit, mother, Katniss and me are thrown out so they can shoot it in peace.

Mother is interviewed first, she's timid, knowing the Capitol will see everything she says, and not wanting to screw up. Katniss' interview is bolder; she even goes out to say that she's a hunter, which could get her killed. Or would, before she became the sister of a Victor.

Cinna puts a coat on me, it's huge, and is very soft. Next comes a thick red scarf, and a pair of leather cloves. He tries to give me earmuffs, but I refuse, they muffle my hearing and I'd prefer a hat anyway, so he gives me one to match the scarf, instead.

My mother comes up behind me, and places some unknown thing in my hand. "For good luck."

I open my hand. The Mockingjay pin, the pin I wore in the arena, the pin that reminds me of Rue every time I look at it. "Thank you," I say, and pin it to my coat.

Effie Trinket claps her hands. "Okay, Primrose, we're about to do the first outdoor shot, for the beginning of the marvelous trip. Big smile, you're very excited, right?"

"Sure." I mumble. "Is Rory here?" I ask, then realize that me, Snow, and Katniss are the only ones who even know that he's supposed to come. Mrs. Hawthorne hasn't even heard a peep out of me yet... "President Snow has asked me to bring a friend with me on my trip, so I chose my best friend, Rory."

"Well, go get them, why don't you?" Effie asks in an annoyed voice.

"Fine, we'll be here in a few minutes." I say, then run towards Rory's house, I would walk, back in the Seam, we didn't live very far away from each other, but now that I live in Victor's Village, it's a bit out of my way.

When I finally get there, I see Posy and Vick playing outside, this makes me smile.

"Hey, guys," I say, smiling down at the younger children.

"Prim!" Posy declares, launching herself into my arms where we embrace. It's true; whenever I'm around they're asleep, or in school. When I came out of the arena, I was told that there are a lot of things I would be doing, no school for a year, two, maybe, so I haven't really seen them in a long time.

"Nice to see you too, Posy," I say, kissing her on top of her little red-haired head. "I'm looking for Rory, seen him?"

"Mommy's cleaning the blood off his hunting bag," Posy tells me. "Rory's with her."

"Thanks," I say, patting her on the head. I knock a few times on the door, then invite myself inside. "Rory?" I call. No reply. I seek him out myself, knocking on almost every door in the house, when finally, Mrs. Hawthorne's room turns out to be the right one.

"Come in." her gentle voice calls, I quietly enter. "Hello, Prim."

"Can I borrow him?" I ask, referring to Rory who's relaxing in a chair.

"What for?" Rory asks, snapping out of it.

I bite my lip, if I tell him my lie, he might say he doesn't want to go. If I tell him the truth, Snow could kill him. I decide quickly what to do. "President Snow has ordered that I bring my best friend with me." Sort of the truth, sort of the lie.

"Can I go, mom?" Rory asks, brightening at the question. "I really wanna see the other Districts."

"I don't..." Mrs. Hawthorne trails off, considering the fact that Rory's dream has always been to, first of all, be as good of a hunter as Gale, and second, to travel somewhere far away and see amazing things. "Okay, but, it won't be dangerous, will it?"

I shake my head. "Not at all." I say. "Come on, we should get going, or Effie Trinket will bare down on us with the rage of a beast." I tell him dramatically.

Mrs. Hawthorne kisses Rory on the head. "Have fun, I'll tell Gale when he gets home." she kisses the fingers and extends them to both of us, we return the gesture.

As fast as we can, we run back home, the cameras are already rolling, awaiting my return. I put together the act President Snow wants to see, I take Rory's hand.

"Thanks for coming with me," I say, my cheeks are rosy red, and I thank the seasons for making it Winter, because I bet it looks like I'm blushing.

Rory smiles. "No problem, Prim," he tells me. "It's an honor." he says in come kind of Capitol accent, bowing to me, still holding my hand. I giggle, not for what Snow said, I simply giggle. Things between Rory and me can be complicated, but other times, we're just two friends laughing at everything we say.

After this, time passes quick, the goodbyes, the smiles, the food, the television, watching it all again. It's sort of hazy, but I end up wearing silky pajamas, sitting on the couch next to Rory. It's not long before I black out. Tonight, because he watches me, there are no nightmares.


	4. Chapter 4: District 11

For the first time in a long time, I had a nice rest. I'm not tired. There is a smile on my face. Why? The lost Tributes still haunt me, every night, and they always manage to find away to get into my dreams. Why not last night? I open my eyes and I find my answer.

"Glad to see your up." Rory says with a smirk, and I give him a gentle smile, then frown.

"Why didn't you go to sleep?" I ask, I know he didn't because my head is on his lap, and if he didn't wake me, he didn't move.

"Because we passed a lot of interesting things, I wanted to see it all, we're almost to 11, by the way."

I sigh and haul myself up, leaning against the fluffy couch, right at his side. I still don't entirely understand Snow's motives. What could the Capitol have to gain from watching two thirteen year olds fall in love? Oh, yeah, entertainment. In many ways I'm still in those Games. I hate the Games. I gave up a lot of my childhood because of those Games, and I think too much like Katniss, which means I'm thinking too hard.

"11?" I ask him, tears threatening to take occupancy in my eyes. Of all the places to go, why 11 first? It was Rue's home. I'm not ready to confront her family, not yet. "Promise me you'll stay by my side?" I ask, because I need him there for me.

"Promise." he says with a gentle nod.

"Up, up, u-!" Effie Trinket stops herself after coming in when she sees we're already wide-awake. "Oh," she mumbles. "Well we've just arrived in-"

"Whoa!" the train stops, and Rory, not used to anything like it stumbles forward off the couch, almost crashing into Effie. The orange-wigged woman just barely avoids him. I burst out laughing.

"-District 11." Effie mutters, smoothing down the creases in her dress. "Shall I wake up Haymitch?"

"Please do." I tell her, hopping to my feet to help Rory up.

"You two, go get some breakfast." she says, before vanishing to fetch my former mentor. "But don't let the boy stuff himself!" she calls back.

I see what she means, Rory, born, raised, and living in the Seam, has probably never had what the Capitol considers to be a meal. Without Effie's suggestion, he might inhale all the food before anyone else even got a chance to grab their forks.

"So shouldn't we have arrived in 11, like...last night?" I ask, frowning at my thoughts, they always either scare me, or confuse me. I've had hardly any pleasant thoughts since the Games.

"After you fell asleep, we had to stop to refuel, then we got delayed by something on the tracks," Rory explains. "And then one of the tires gave!" he laughs and shakes his head. "Had to wait until a few hours ago to get a new one."

"Oh," I say, and then smile, because it _is_ pretty funny. "This train must be a disaster." I say. Maybe the Capitol is making budget cuts? No, maybe Snow meant to kill me with one of things that happened? Possible, but a bunch of delays don't mean death.

"Oh, wow," says Rory, taking in his surroundings and inhaling deeply. I just realize we've reached the dining car when he does this. An amazing meal awaits us, breads of various size and types, eggs, bacon, some kind of burnt bread, toast, maybe? We don't have a toaster at home, so I'm not sure. Above all else, and the thing that stands out to me is-

"Hot chocolate!" I shout with glee and dash over to the table, not even caring at how childish I look. I'm thirteen, and I act like a woman, some childishness here and there is necessary. I chug it down rather quickly, then feeling more self-conscious, grab another mug and give it to Rory. "Try it, it's amazing."

He takes a quiet sip, and his eyes shoot wide open. "It's..." he struggles to find the right word. "Great." he says, and takes the same kind of chug that I did, gulping it down. "And, the food looks great." he says with a smile, sliding into one of the seats. I sit next to him, this means Effie will have to sit next to Haymitch, I smirk to myself about how frazzled she'll be about _that_. I can only imagine how she's handling being in Haymitch's room, he's probably already trashed it by now, and if it's anything like his house...Effie's in for a surprise.

A few minutes later, after I've spread some butter over what I assume is the toast and have eaten it, Effie walks in, her heels clicking, followed by a rather...dizzy, Haymitch.

"Ooh," Haymitch says, taking his seat next to Effie with a grin. "Bacon." he then picks it up with a single fist and stuffs it in his mouth. I can't help but laugh, Rory follows the motion, and Effie, if it weren't unladylike, probably would have grunted.

"Cinna was up late working on organizing your garment car. He must have over a hundred outfits for you. Your evening clothes are exquisite." Effie informs we with a likely forced smile.

"Evening clothes?" Rory asks curiously, raising his eyebrows. "I'm not even going to ask..."

"Don't get the wrong idea, Hawthorne," Haymitch says, addressing Rory, who perks his head up, wondering what he means. "If your going to be accompanying sweetheart here to 11, then her prep team's probably going to give you a full body make over."

Rory chokes on his bread. "What?"

Less than half an hour later, I've taken baths in almost too many substances for me to remember, the prep team plucks every stray hair off my body, and moisturize my skin until it's glowing, and stinging.

"Gah!" Rory cries from the other room. Portia and Peeta's prep team had come onto the train for the task of making Rory look worthy of his standing point at my side. From what I hear, I can tell both Portia and Rory are struggling not to rip each other's throats out. "Quit it!" he shouts, and something metallic clatters to the floor, and one of the prep team members helping Portia cries out in pain and shock.

I don't even try to stop myself from laughing, and soon enough Octavia, Flavius, and even Venia have joined me. Flavius kills the fun by sighing and tilting my head up.

"It's a shame Cinna said no alterations on you." he says, disappointment in his voice.

"Yes, we could really make you something special," says Octavia.

"When she's older," says Venia almost sadly. "Then he'll have to let us."

Alterations? I'm not really sure what they mean, but I silently thank Cinna for forbidding them from doing it. I'm sure it wouldn't be pleasant, and that I would end up with a strange tattoo somewhere on my body. The thought of my prep team staining their words onto my body makes me shudder.

Lunch comes quickly, when I see Rory, I almost fall onto the ground in shock. His normally perfectly messy hair is groomed nicely and cut shorter than normal. His gray Seam eyes seem to lack signs of life, and every stray hair on his body has been plucked. He's dressed more like what Cinna would think than his own normal clothes, and I can tell he's itching to change.

"I swear," he grumbles angrily. "That Portia woman is evil!"

When we reach the dining cart, different reactions from everyone. Effie, Portia and Cinna all smile warmly at their work on the un-groomed Seam boy, Haymitch bursts into hysterical laughter, and Rory crosses his arms and angrily sits down, followed by me, a smirk plastered on my face.

"Looking good, Hawthorne," Haymitch says, trying not to laugh, but he gets the better of himself and he falls out of his chair, literally rolling on the floor, unable to stop laughing.

"Shut up, Haymitch." Rory grumbles, placing a hand in his hair and purposefully messing it up. Portia grits her teeth, but doesn't complain. These two must be at war. Haymitch is obviously still drunk, but that doesn't stop him from asking for more wine.

"Make that two," I add, ignoring the looks everyone is gives me, because I'm hoping the strange drink forbidden for me to touch can calm my nerves, because I'm shaking like a leaf. When my drink is given to me, I take a tentative sip. "Bleh!" I say, spitting it out, and poor Haymitch happened to be right under me. Everyone laughs as I clean my mouth with a napkin, then shyly hand Haymitch one for his now purple face. "Sorry?" I try, he just sighs and shakes his head, with a simple, "Stay away from the wine."

I nod, after what just happened I wasn't planning on having anymore. Ever. How can Haymitch handle so much of it? Oh yeah, he can't. I deicide all this while Haymitch stumbles over to the trashcan to get rid of the napkin. He hits the ground before he even makes it near the table.

"After we're done here, Primrose, you're going to have to face 11." Effie says, and suddenly, out of my returning anxiety, I take another drink of wine. I swallow it this time. Suddenly I understand why Haymitch drinks so much of this stuff, it doesn't taste great, but it pulls you away from your living nightmares.

"I killed him." I barely manage to choke out, no one but Rory hears me, and he grabs my hand under the table. "And I let her die." He gives it a squeeze. Lunch passes far too quickly and soon enough we're walking out of the train, Rory and me hand in hand.

Huge open fields with herds of dairy cattle grazing in them. So unlike our own heavily wooded home. We slow slightly and I think we might be coming in for another stop, when a fence rises up before us. Towering at least thirty-five feet in the air and topped with wicked coils of barbed wire, it makes ours back in District 12 look childish. My eyes quickly inspect the base, which is lined with enormous metal plates. There would be no burrowing under those, no escaping to hunt with Katniss. Then I see the watchtowers, placed evenly apart, manned with armed guards, so out of place among the fields of wildflowers around them.

"Mm," Rory moans, and this time I'm the one to hold his hand a bit tighter, to remind him I'm here. Rory smooths out his wrinkled shirt, which was in considerably better condition before lunch. It's a simple black shirt and pants, he's just a boy from the Seam, I'm the real show. I'm what they want to see. And I hate it.

Cinna has put me in a simple, matching black dress, with threads of forest green all over it, but there more like lacing. He puts me in this because he lives by his word; I act more lively in these colors, because they remind me of my sister.

As usual, a special platform has been constructed at the bottom of the stage for the families of the dead tributes. On Thresh's side, there's only an old woman with a hunched back and a tall, muscular girl I'm guessing is his sister. On Rue's… I'm not prepared for Rue's family. Her parents, whose faces are still fresh with sorrow. Her five younger siblings, who resemble her so closely. The slight builds, the luminous brown eyes. They form a flock of small dark birds.

The applause dies out and the mayor gives the speech in our honor. Two little girls come up with tremendous bouquets of flowers. I accept them, and surprisingly enough, they hand the other to Rory. They expected him. But how?

I sigh when it's my time to speak. How do I say what I need to say? To honor those who I've lost. Tears prick my eyes as I turn to Thresh's family.

"I never spoke once to Thresh," I say solemnly, the two women on his side just stare at me. "Not to my knowledge, anyway, perhaps, a word or two were said, but that's it." I tell them, no, I tell the District. "I didn't have to say one word to know he didn't deserve death, he was strong, and brave, a kind, and he deserved to come home. I didn't even have to talk to him to know that."

Rory looks at me, not anyone else, he doesn't know where I'm going with this, but it's all planned out for me.

"The Careers wanted him," I say. "But he didn't want _them_, and I respect him so much for that." I tell the crowd, and the old woman, she perks her head up, a smile on her lips. "He wouldn't join them, because of _her_." I say. "Because he had to protect her. Had to keep her alive. He couldn't though, and I had to save him from the Mutts." I say, hoping that they can forgive me for what I did.

I turn to Rue's side, and tears coming freely down my cheeks but I don't care, let them be seen, they know the pain I'm in, but I could never imagine what they're feeling. "I may not have known Thresh, but since I first saw Rue in the replay of the reapings, I knew she was something special, and that I wanted her as an ally...and as a friend." I say, reaching a hand up to wipe a single tear. "She was clever, and fast, and...amazing. She didn't deserve her fate, and I would have given anything to put myself in her shoes...so that she could have come home."

Rue's family, they all stare at me intently now, wanting me to go on.

"I was too slow, and Clove...she was too fast. My mistake will haunt me forever, an-and, I hope you can all forgive me. For letting them both go."

Suddenly, everyone in the crowd, they press the fingers to their lips, and hold them out to me. I want to believe this wasn't planned, but it was so on cue, how could it not have been?

The full impact of what I've done hits me. It was not intentional, I only meant to express my thanks, but I have elicited something dangerous. An act of dissent from the people of District 11. This is exactly the kind of thing I am supposed to be stopping.

I try to think of something to say to undermine what has just happened, to negate it, but I can hear the slight burst of static indicating my microphone has been cut off and the mayor has taken over. Rory and I acknowledge a final round of applause. He leads me back toward the doors, unaware that anything has gone wrong.

Just before we're safely inside, I here the gunshots. Rory literally shoves me in.


	5. Chapter 5: President Snow

"Rory, move!"

He recoils at my scream, and shuffles off of me, for he had tackled me to the ground in his haste, pinning me to the ground. I jump to my feet, but Peacekeepers swarm the door, making it impossible for me to see what has happened.

"Move!" I screech, but just as I'm about to use whatever amount of bodyweight that I have to try and break their blockade, someone grabs me by the waist and drags me away. "Let me go, Haymitch." I'm not screaming anymore, but mostly because my throat really hurts now. "Please." I plead, if it was Thresh's grandma...or any of Rue's little siblings. Tears find their way to my eyes.

He takes me up a few flights of staircases, through different rooms, and eventually stops, we're in the dome of the Justice Building in 11. He places me less than gently on the couch.

Eventually Effie, Cinna, Rory and the other parts of our entourage find their way into the room.

"Haymitch, what the heck is going on?" Rory asks. "It's chaos out there."

I jolt to my feet, but Haymitch shoots me a glare that makes me sit right back down. "They're killing them!" I'm screaming again, my throat back to normal.

"What's going on?" Rory asks again, more urgent this time.

"Well, sweetheart, care to tell him?" Haymitch asks, but with the eyes of not just him, but Rory, Cinna, Effie and a few others trained on me, and can't make myself do it, not here, not now.

"On the train." I manage to say.

Haymitch rolls his eyes. "Fine, then. Come on, we've got dinner to attend."

I spend at least half an hour in the shower, as if I think that my problems will wash away with the water, but I truly know better. Eventually Effie calls for me, so I throw on some random clothes and show up like they want me to, after scrubbing off the makeup my prep team put on me. Now that I'm a bit older, they piled on more than before, and it takes longer.

I'm lost in thought, I'm not even sure what we're eating, all I can think about is the people in the square. The gunfire. I heard two more after the first. Three people, possibly even more died today, because of me. Because of _my_ actions. I don't even notice what Cinna dresses me up in until I see my reflection in the mirror.

A simple pink dress, he hasn't done anything to my hair, much to my surprise. He must understand how I feel right now, I haven't felt like a killer since the Games. I didn't plan to ever be a killer again, but now... "It's lovely, as always." I manage to choke out.

Cinna simply places a hand on my shoulder. "Try not to cry in front of the cameras." he says, and kisses me on top of my head.

I sigh. Now that he's said it, the tears want nothing more than to break out, but cameras will claim me soon, and I refuse to give in.

Effie runs through the evening's schedule, then tosses it aside. "And then, thank goodness, we can all get on that train and get out of here," she says.

"Is something wrong, Effie?" asks Cinna.

"I just hate this District, the Peacekeepers are nothing if not brutes!" she declares, and I suddenly realize it must have been a struggle to appear in the Justice Building with us. "One of them jabbed me with her gun!"

"Oh, my," Portia says, shaking her head. "It will be relief to get out of here."

"That's awful Effie," I say, forcing my brows to furrow. "I say we just skip this dinner, unless the apologize, that is." I want nothing more than to just lay my head on Rory's lap and sleep until we're home, but Effie won't have any of it.

"Oh, no, as your District escort, it's my responsibility to ignore things like this." she says. "Besides, we can't have you missing the dinner. What a disaster that would be!"

So, Effie organizes us. First the prep teams, then her, followed by Cinna and Portia, Haymitch, and then me and Rory, hand in hand, sorrow visible on our faces, or at least mine.

"Please tell me."

I sigh, we probably have just a minute before we have to go out, but this time only he will judge me for this. I hear music start to play. So I tell him. Everything. His emotions change from shocked, to scared for my well-being, to angry, to confused, and then backed to shocked again.

Effie goes, Haymitch said to wait fifteen seconds before going out. So I let Rory's new information sink in, and I grip his tighter than ever.

"Fifteen." I say more to myself than him. So we go out, forcing smiles, and holding back tears.

We descend the steps and are sucked into what becomes an indistinguishable round of dinners, ceremonies, and train rides. Each day it's the same. Wake up. Get dressed. Ride through cheering crowds. Listen to a speech in my honor. Give a thank-you speech in return, but only the one the Capitol gave me, never any personal additions now. Sometimes a brief tour: a glimpse of the sea in one district, towering forests in another, ugly factories, fields of wheat, stinking refineries. Dress in evening clothes. Attend dinner. Train.

The only District besides 11 where I truly pay attention is 5. The Capitol has supplied me with a dull gray speech about how rash actions can get you killed, in honor of Fay's mistake, but I refuse to read it. Instead, I thank Fay for everything she did for me, for sparing me and Rue, I don't have anything to say about her District partner, so I simply honor him by saying he was a good person. It seems like enough. No gunfire, but the Peacekeepers look hostile, so we're rushed out of there rather fast.

During most of the dinners, Rory catching on to what we have to be, because we never get a chance to discuss it, we hold hands most of the time, we dance, and we never stray far from each other. Even though we're closer than we've ever been, there's a wall between us that won't be torn down until we are able to talk about it.

District 2 is rather brutal, they literally yell at me that Clove could have made it home if it wasn't for me. I'll admit, she was close, and yet, she killed Rue, I had to do it. She was falling apart, anyway.

Eventually, when ever District passes, I find time to finally speak to Rory. So we both go into my room, sit on the bed, and talk. No lights, aside from a dim lamp on the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" he asks. "He made you do it."

I nod. "I guess so, but I should have told you, I shouldn't have made you come. I should have-"

"You didn't make me, I chose to."

"Because you didn't know!" I almost shout, then compose myself. "We can't do this."

"We have to." says Rory. "Snow has made sure of that, there's no way out of it. I'm sure the Capitol is just full of gossip. Why are they holding hands? Oh, she's dancing with him, how cute! How did a Seam boy even get to come anyway, they're not even related, they must be very close." he says, quoting off everything people in the Capitol are probably saying. "When you kissed me, speculation already started, now...now we're just hand-feeding them."

"You're right." I mutter. "So what do you think they want to happen. We're thirteen, we can't exactly marry each other." I tell him, though he obviously knows that.

"Of course not, though the Capitol could easily make us get married this young if they want, but they don't." he says. "They just want what they know to be official."

"How?" I ask, laying down, pulling the blankets over me.

"Well, you kissed me, so they must already think you're madly in love, or, something like that." he says with a shrug I can barely make out. This certain kind of lamp is automatic, the later it gets, the more the light fades out. "What they want is to see me give my side of the deal."

His side of the deal? Oh. They want him to kiss me. Just so they can watch, it's all for them. For their entertainment. Has anything gone perfect for me since I stuffed those berries in my mouth? No. Nothing has gone perfect for me since that day. The day when I got called out of school early, and we waited at the mine all night. The day I lost him.

No, I've given myself a rule since that day. I'm not allowed to think about it, because I know that I'll instantly burst into tears. What would Katniss have done? First losing our father, and then me. I know a lot about Katniss, so I know she wouldn't want to live in a world without us. I know that as soon as I died in the arena, she would have ended her own life.

"When is this happening?" I ask Rory, trying to think of something else besides what's rushing through my mind.

"Tomorrow, when Caesar interviews us...er, you, I guess." he says.

"No, he'll be sure to ask you some questions." I say. On cue, the lamp light finally flickers out, and uneasy sleep claims me

That night, on the stage before the Training Center, we bubble our way through a list of questions. Caesar Flickerman, in his twinkling midnight blue suit, his hair, eyelids, and lips still dyed powder blue, flawlessly guides us through the interview. As soon as he mentions what the Capitol has been saying about me and Rory, about what they think of when I kissed him, Rory takes action.

He presses his lips gently again mine. When I kissed him, I did it fast and shakily, because of the role I was playing. This is slower and gentler, his lips are warm and nice, and when we break apart, I am pleased by the approval I hear from the crowd. But none of that matters.

President Snow himself makes a surprise visit to greet me again. He clasps Rory's hand and gives him an approving slap on the shoulder, with his small stature, it takes everything Rory's got to not fall face-forward. Then he embraces me, enfolding me in the smell of blood and roses, and plants a puffy kiss on my cheek. When he pulls back, his fingers digging into my arms, his face smiling into mine, I dare to raise my eyebrows. They ask what my lips can't. _Was it enough? He kissed me. I kissed him. We're in love now, okay?_

In answer, he gently shakes his head.

**Yeah, this chapter sucked, bad, but I'm just trying to get through all the "Beginning of Catching Fire" stuff, because I have better ideas before the future. Anyway, if you plan to review, do not hate on me, please :|**


	6. Chapter 6: Keira

"Haymitch?"

"What?"

"_Please_," I say, putting on the most adorable thirteen-year-old voice I've got and begin to bad my eyelashes. "Let me skip the party."

"No."

Darn. It would have worked if I were twelve. Actually, since I'm dealing with Haymitch, no it wouldn't have. So, I work up the courage to intertwine my arm with Rory's and step inside.

"Make it real." I whisper.

"Count on it." he answers back.

"You're not having fun anymore...are you?" I ask. The whole reason he came with me the Capitol was to see things he couldn't see in 12. Now, Snow has put us off as young lovers, and there's no way to escape it anymore.

"I'm with you, how could I not?" he asks with a smile.

I look around, no one seems to have taken notice of us. Why say something so...romantic? No, not quite romantic. More...flattering, I guess. It's these moments when Rory truly confuses me. "Ditto." Hopefully I confuse him just as much.

I look around the room again in awe. The forty-foot ceiling has been transformed into the night sky, and the stars look exactly as they do at home. I suppose they look the same from the Capitol, but who would know? There's always too much light from the city to see the stars here. About halfway between the floor and the ceiling, musicians float on what look like fluffy white clouds, but I can't see what holds them aloft.

Traditional dining tables have been replaced by innumerable stuffed sofas and chairs, some surrounding fireplaces, others beside fragrant flower gardens or ponds filled with exotic fish, so that people can eat and drink and do whatever they please in the utmost comfort. There's a large tiled area in the center of the room that serves as everything from a dance floor, to a stage for the performers who come and go, to another spot to mingle with the flamboyantly dressed guests. But food is what the spotlights on, and I can't help but want to try everything.

Rory goes around trying every dish, I stay at his side, our arms still locked together. Eventually though, growing tired, we release each other and simply hold hands. We exchange hellos with many people, pictures are taken, a few kisses meet my cheek, but I'm not paying attention to whose lips they belong.

"Rory, would you like a bag?" some Capitol girl asks.

Rory has been taking various dishes from almost every table to bring them home so that Gale won't have to work so hard in the mines for a while, but the pile of food he carries is getting very high, a rising a little past his head.

"Yes, please." he says, shifting his load. "That would be nice." he says, so she disappears for a minute and then returns with some kind of fancy burlap sack. She wraps up all the food and places it gently inside. "Vick and Posy will be so happy." he says, sniffing the Capitol food with admiration. "They won't go hungry for a while, forget Parcel Day, this will keep us going for a _few_ months!"

"Great," says the Capitol girl. "Just let me know if you need any more bags, but, if you'd like to get it yourself, they're in there." she says, pointing to a wooden door.

Rory nods, and she dismisses herself. Who was that?

"You know her?" Rory asks me.

I shake my head. "She knows you."

"Guess so." he mutters, then a table full of assorted breads catches his eye and he takes my hand again, dashing over to it. "Oh, Gale loves bread!" he says in delight, trying a few, and stuffing the good ones into his bag.

I can't help but smile. Food isn't a problem for us anymore, not since I won. I feel like it's Parcel Day again, the little kids running around in delight, waving their cans of food around, smiling, and for a year they won't go hungry.

As I look around, I found the Mockingjay pin that I wear, which happens to be on the dress I'm wearing right now, it has spawned a new fashion. Almost everyone has one. If you don't have one, you're not in a large crowd of people.

"Hey, Prim," Rory asks, swallowing some bread in his mouth. "Wanna dance?"

Oh, yes, we're lovers. Young, hopeless lovers. Playing my role, I nod, smile, and take his hand. I focus not on Rory, but the music, even though his eyes are locked on me. I refuse to look at him, why? Because my eyes could easily become as transfixed as his.

I'll be fourteen in a few months, I'm hoping me and Rory will some kind of disastrous breakup that the Capitol votes on or something, because I've seen people with husbands and wives and children in the Capitol, they looked like the couldn't be a day over fourteen. Snow could make us get married, have children, everything. He wouldn't even wait until we were the proper age, heck, if the Capitol audience approved, he could marry us right now. My eyes slip, but to my relief I can easily look away again.

"So, how long do you think _all_ that food will last your family?" I ask as the music demands her twirl me, and I instantly becomes dizzy.

"Long time." he says, and dips. "Hopefully long enough for Gale to be able to take a break from the mines...if it's allowed. I don't know. I just like him to spend very little time in the mines. After what happened."

We lost our fathers. Both of us. We were so little, we didn't understand. When I was old enough to finally realize what Katniss meant when she said "daddy" was never coming back, I was old enough to hold in my tears, too.

"Great." I say, and the music gets slower, so I lean against him, feeling the heat of his body. It's nice, I've been really cold lately. He doesn't seem to notice, because he pulls me closer. "Rory...I've been thinking..." I mumble, not entirely sure how to word it correctly. "What's going to happen back in 12, when we go home?"

Rory pauses. "I don't know." he says, and we resume dancing. It's really more of just slightly moving while we lean against each other. I savor the warmth, my eyes gently closing. "We probably just keep doing what we're doing."

He's right. Even in 12, we'll never escape. Never. The Capitol will watch over us, waiting for us to eventually grow old enough to marry, then they'll be expecting the kids I don't want to have. I've never wanted children, I don't think anyone in 12 does. It just means you're giving them to the reaping. It just means your signing them up in the death lottery. Despite this, when I was little, I used to love to play with some kind of felt baby doll Katniss made me.

No, she didn't make it. Our father made it, for her. Then she gave it to me. It meant a lot to her. He meant a lot to her. I mean a lot to her. Katniss' world revolves around her memories of our father, her protectiveness over me, and her love for Gale.

When I came home, those to were well past friendship...or whatever they are. It's not expressed, it never will be. But in times of sorrow and grief, they lock hands and face the world together. The same way me and Rory do.

"Ahem." a voice coughs, and suddenly I meet eyes with a large man who looks really familiar. "Mind if I cut in?" he asks Rory, and my friend dashes away to get more food for his family.

"So, what's your name?" I ask as we do a simple Capitol dance that I try to pick up on.

"Plutarch Heavensbee." he tells me, lifting me in the air and twirling me around, so goes the music. "I'm the Head Gamemaker." he says, and my head jolts into the air. I fearfully take a step back, biting my lip, but not breaking our contact, but then I compose myself and we make little chitchat, not talking about anything to specific.

"So, you're planning this year's Quell?" I ask him with a forced smile. I'm warming up to him, really, it just repulses me that he's planning the death of a child I'll have to coach into living.

"Oh, yes. Well, they've been in the works for years, of course. Arenas aren't built in a day. But the, shall we say, flavor of the Games is being determined now. Believe it or not, I've got a strategy meeting tonight," he says.

Plutarch steps back and pulls out a gold watch on a chain from a vest pocket. He flips open the lid, sees the time, and frowns. "I'll have to be going soon." He turns the watch so I can see the face. "It starts at midnight."

I nod solemnly, wanting to see what Rory's up to, but then something distracts me. Plutarch has run his thumb across the crystal face of the watch and for just a moment an image appears, glowing as if lit by candlelight. It's another Mockingjay. Exactly like the pin on my dress. Only this one disappears. He snaps the watch closed.

"Pretty," I say, awestruck, and suddenly I'm reminded of someone. A redheaded girl, a few years older than me. Pretty. Will I ever see her again?

"Oh, it's more than pretty. It's one of a kind," he says. "If anyone asks about me, say I've gone home to bed. The meetings are supposed to be kept secret. But I thought it'd be safe to tell you."

"Your secret's safe with me," I mumble.

As we shake hands, he gives a small bow, a common gesture here in the Capitol. "Well, I'll see you next summer at the Games, Primrose. Best wishes to you and Rory." he says with a smile, and then departs.

I suddenly feel a lot less eager to see Rory, my little conversation with him has reminded me so much of the Games. How Fay, the sly girl, boldly went headfirst against Cato, Clove, and maybe some other Tribute. How Rue, the girl who I tried to save, died, and then spared me when she was a Mutt. How I gave Peeta the nightlock so he could escape the pain. How I'm a killer now, and always will be.

Of all these thoughts, Rue seems to stand out the most. I didn't mention how her Mutt form spared me in 11, but only because talking about how their sister had become a monster probably would have made the children burst into tears. Her parents, too. And at seeing those tears, I know I would have began to cry as well. I haven't cried that much since I got out of the Arena, I'm probably still in shock.

"Hey, Prim." Rory says, coming over to take me away from the dance floor, two bags of food slung over his back. "How was your dance?" he asks, choking down some kind of clear liquid from a random table, he suddenly grows a shade or two greener. "Uh oh." he mutters. "Hold this." he says, handing me his sacks, then he runs into the bathroom.

I burst out laughing. Things like this remind me of the simple friendship me and Rory used to have, like the time I spilled soup on him at the Hob, or when he helped me find an injured Buttercup when he was just a kitten...then again he tried to beat Buttercup with a stick, but maybe he didn't know or something.

"Oh, my." says the Capitol girl from earlier, appearing out of nowhere. "You're supposed to drink those in the bathroom, so you can make room for new food."

What? These drinks are _supposed_ to make you vomit? That's gross. "Oh, hey again. So, I didn't catch your name." I say, as curious as ever, putting on a winning smile.

She brushes a dark hair out of her face. "Oh, right sorry." she tells me. "I'm Keira Snow." she says, extending a hand.

Oh, hooray, she must be Snow's grandchild. What a joy. I force myself to gently shake her hand.


	7. Chapter 7: Homecoming

"Time to say thank you are farewell!"

Oh, Effie. Always coming to take me away at the best times. I silently thank her. Any kind of girl that came from an offspring of Snow is bound to be trouble.

Rory stumbles out of the bathroom, looking back to normal. "Ugh..." he moans, but then composes himself. "We're leaving?" he asks, as if to think two gigantic bags of food aren't enough for his family. It is, but it can't last forever.

"Yeah." I say to him, and then turn back to Keira. "It was uh...nice to meet you." I tell her, giving the customary Capitol bow.

"And you." she says, returning it.

Effie herds us away, finding Cinna and Portia as well, and she only manages to relax when Haymitch finally shows up, even though it's obvious he's has a little to much wine.

We travel through the streets of the Capitol in a car with darkened windows. Behind us, another car brings the prep teams. The throngs of people celebrating are so thick it's slow going. But Effie has this all down to a science, and at exactly one o'clock we are back on the train and it's pulling out of the station.

Haymitch is taken into his room. Cinna orders tea and we all take seats around the table while Effie rattles her schedule papers and reminds us we're still on tour. "There's the Harvest Festival in District Twelve to think about. So I suggest we drink our tea and head straight to bed." No one argues.

I silently walk to my room, arms crossed over my chest, my thoughts engulfing me. New ones. Not just of Peeta, Rue and Fay, along with other memories from the Games, but thoughts of Snow, his mysterious granddaughter, and Plutarch Heavensbee, the man who will quell 23 children to their deaths, and let one mentally disoriented child live. It's sickening to think about. I hardly even notice Rory lock his hand with mine as we enter my room.

I roll into bed, he sits at the edge of it, as if to guard me. It reminds me of a certain cat back in 12 waiting for me to come home. I smile. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" I ask him.

He looks around, painting a confused look on his face. "Am I not?" he laughs.

"In your bed." I say, throwing a pillow at him and then giggling as it sails into his head.

"Why, thank you." he says in a Capitol accent, whisking my blanket away from me and laying down, a smug look on his face.

I laugh again and simply lay down next to him, my eyes gently closing.

"Up, up, up, it's going to be a big, big, big day!"

I groan, but I can tell Effie's just been dying to say that. My eyes flutter open, and Rory's already walking out of my room, to start getting ready. Tonight I, or possibly we, dine with Mayor Undersee, Madge Undersee's father. Then tomorrow, we have a victory rally during the Harvest Festival, which is always on the last day of the Tour.

As I get up I realize I didn't even change out of the dress I wore last night, too many distractions, I guess. So, I quickly change out of it, putting on a simple light blue shirt that seems to have a mix of the color purple, and pair of black pants. I run a brush through my hair, but other than that, don't give much care to how I look. Then we go.

Most of our prepping will take place at the mayor's house, since we're back to being covered in furs for outdoor appearances. We're only at the train station briefly, to smile and wave as we pile into our car. We don't even get to see our families until the dinner tonight.

It's not long before we arrive, I greet the mayor and Madge, Rory follows suit. It doesn't take long for Cinna to dress me up in a pretty sliver gown, if you could call it that, because it's rather simple. I have an hour to kill; maybe I could talk to Mrs. Undersee. She has just awful headaches that can make her bedridden for days, but mother and me can put together a medication to both rid her of the pain and get rid of the headaches. I should make sure she's been taking it regularly.

Her room is on the same floor as Madge's, as well as the mayor's study, and a few other important rooms. No mayor. However, I do see Rory and me from yesterday, laughing, dancing, and eating. Together almost the whole time, I even see a little of Keira from the brief moments she was with us. That girl simply makes me curious. Nothing interesting on the screen, so I grow fairly bored.

I'm leaving the room when a beeping noise catches my attention. I turn back to see the screen of the television go black. Then the words "UPDATE ON DISTRICT 8" start flashing. Instinctively I know this is not for my eyes but something intended only for the mayor. I should go. Quickly. Instead I find myself stepping closer to the television.

An announcer I've never seen before appears. It's a woman with graying hair and a hoarse, authoritative voice. She warns that conditions are worsening and a Level 3 alert has been called. Additional forces are being sent into District 8, and all textile production has ceased.

They cut away from the woman to the main square in District 8. I recognize it because I was there only last week. There are still banners with my face waving from the rooftops. Below them, there's a mob scene. The square's packed with screaming people, their faces hidden with rags and homemade masks, throwing bricks. Buildings burn. Peacekeepers shoot into the crowd, killing at random.

"Oh, no." I barely whisper, then grit my teeth. I shouldn't be here. Why am I here? I...need to go. Mrs. Undersee! I quickly walk out of the room, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. I had thought Snow would only be torturing me and those I love when he shook his head, but now all of Panem is suffering. Why? Because, it's an uprising.

I remember my task, and that I must pretend I know nothing, so I head towards Mrs. Undersee's room. Just in the nick of time too, because the mayor appears only seconds later.

"Oh, hello." he says in a bubbly tone. "You shouldn't disturb Myra," he says, referring to his wife. "Headaches, that medicine of yours is great, but they still come and go."

"Oh." I say, nodding. "Well, then I think I should go find my sister." I tell him, and before he can say anything I'm gone. So many things are going through my head, and don't care what I've told myself, Haymitch knows, Rory knows, and I'm the verge of going crazy. I'm telling Katniss. Everything. I just hope she knows what to do.


End file.
